In Memoriam: Sr. Helen Nguyen, OP (1919-2015)

Sister Helen Ninh Thi Nguyen, OP 1919-2015
75 Years of Religious Life and 96 Years of Age

Sister Helen Ninh thi Nguyen, born Voc thi Nguyen, entered this world on the first of January 1919 in Quan Phuong, North Viet Nam. The eldest of Mr. and Mrs. Chap Van Nguyen, Sister Mary Helen was a courageous and determinate woman who unceasingly looked after the welfare of her two siblings.

At the age of 19, through the guidance of an uncle priest, Father Vincent Hien Khac Nguyen, Helen joined a religious public association at Than Thuong. There she served as bursar for the assocation’s elementary school while taking sewing and embroidery lessons at the Daughters of St. Paul convent nearby. By 1953, the bishop of Thai Binh assigned Mary Helen to the orphanage at An Lap. She not only lovingly took care of the children from ages of 1-4, but also buried more or less 300 of them when they died due to malnutrition and disease. The following year the bishop asked her to serve as the seamtress at My Duc Latin Seminary. After the Geneva Treaty of 1954, Helen migrated south and once more at the request of the local bishop, served at the dioceasan seminary at Phan Rang for the next five years.

When the Holy See unified the women public institutes into Dominican religious congregations with evangelical vows, Helen entered the novitate of the diocese of Xuan Loc’s Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine Congregartion in 1959, made first profession in 1960, and pronounced her final vows in 1966 at the age of 47. Upon profession, Sister served as the local superior at two mission houses, bursar at the chancery, and taught catechism to the children until she joined the exodus in 1975 to the United States.

As one of the first pioneers Sisters of Mary Immaculate Province in the United States, Sister Helen unceasingly devoted her time and energy to establish the community. She also served in many administrative roles until her retirement in 2005, when she turned 86. Sister Mary Helen was the local superior of the convents in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (1976-1978 and 1979-1980), in Palacios, Texas (1986-1989 and 1994-1996) and in Port Arthur, Texas (1996-2005). From 1990 to 1994, Sister Helen was the Vicaress for the then Region/Territory (now Province) of Dominican Sisters and Directress of the Sisters in temporary profession.

Sister Mary Helen will always be remembered for her devotion to our Eucharist Lord, from whom she drew her love and kindness for the sisters in community, especially the younger ones, and those who had the privilege to have met and knew her. Her warm smiles and considerate concerns always brightened the room and brought much delight to others during her old age. She was a woman of vision, who constantly sought ways to advance the Province’s development.

On the early morning of February 28, 2015, Sister Helen experienced a slight fall. After a few visits to the doctor’s office and medical testings, Sister was admitted to West Houston Hospital. Though her health continued to decline drastically, Sister never lost her trust in the Lord nor languished her joyful spirit. On the morning of March 21, having said her prayers with the Sisters, listened to the Word of God, received
Viaticum, and sung the canticle of
Magnificat with much conviction and devotion, Sister Helen Ninh thi Nguyen, OP rushed into the loving embrace of her Lord and Bridegroom at 9:54 A.M. She was 96 years of age of which 75 of those years were in religious consecration.